Usually, a solid electrolyte fuel cell (SOFC) uses an oxide-ion conductor, e.g. stabilized zirconia, as an electrolyte; an anode and a cathode are provided on both sides of this electrolyte to form an electrolyte electrode assembly (MEA), which is then sandwiched between separators (bipolar plates). This fuel cell is usually used as a fuel cell stack formed by stacking a predetermined number of electrolyte-electrode assemblies and separators.
Recently, a flat-plate seal-less solid electrolyte fuel cell is being developed.
Compared to a sealed fuel cell, this solid electrolyte fuel cell has advantages such as a simpler structure, and less load on the electrolyte electrode assembly.
Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose technologies for imparting flexibility corresponding to a load on a connecting section that links a manifold section of a separator and a section where a power-generation cell is provided. Consequently, the load on the separator can be divided between the manifold section and the section where the power-generation cell is provided, such that an appropriate load is applied to each.